Tuesday, August 25, 2009

I like to write poetry and have taken several creative writing classes, howevermost of my education has been in the sciences, as I am a health care provider.I can recall the attitude my contemporaries had of the liberal arts students--that they majored in such things as Literature or English because those classeswere so much "easier", or, they were not "smart enough" to pass the math andscience courses. One Sunday, a couple years ago, I attended a workshop onSpiritual Writing. It was mostly attended by MFA people, advanced writersand other literary types. I was astonished (I guess naively) to hear them talkdisdainfully about scientists, accountants, business people and others of theso-called precise or exact disciplines. I mean, I knew We talked bad about Them,but I didn't know They talked bad about US! I felt like I needed to defend thecreative side of the sciences...where do you think discovery and inventions come from?Somebody has to think them up! But I kept silent and just pondered my ownprejudices. I bring this up because it reminds me a little of the way vegetariansand omnivores view each other. Both camps seem to enjoy throwing barbs at theothers. And not just in private, witness the bumper stickers and T-shirts nowavailable. I view it as both impolite and ineffective. Nobody ever changed their mindbecause they were insulted did they? Will anybody ever be converted to anotherperspective or idea if they are humiliated? The best way to promote a position isto make it attractive, that is, point out the positive, not tear down the humanityof the other. There are numerous reasons I believe eating vegetables is preferableto eating meat, but, in the end it has to be an individual decision.